Gas turbine engines often include struts or structural guide vanes (SGVs) located axially aft of the fan of the gas turbine engine to support the fan case. Other struts or SGVs may be located in the compressor stages, the turbine stages, or other areas of the engine. In some airframe structures with engine mounts on the fan case, SGVs support the entire front portion of the engine. An SGV is typically structured as an airfoil to control and guide the flow of bypass air after the air passes the fan blades. SGVs may become dynamically excited by the bypass air, such as fan blade wakes creating vibrational responses in the SGVs. A thicker airfoil may be utilized for the SGVs in order to reduce the vibrational response and deflections of the SGVs. However, a thicker SGV airfoil is less efficient and increases the weight of the aircraft engine.
Therefore, a need exists in the art for a lightweight and efficient SGV.